The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-20
WHITE SLAVES.
A Horrible story OF tho hawaiian
sugar Plantations.

A Horrible story OF tho Hawaiian
sugar plantations.
H. Benedict walter In Main street
restaurant, only reached this city few day.
ago, saws The Los A,,geios Times He has just
escaped from life of slavery that is accord
Ing to his story, hundred times more severe
in every respect than were the old slavery days
before the war Learning of this fact Times
reporter looked him up aud drew out the
following statement, which was told IN n
straight forward manner that can not be dis
believed;
almost six years ago." began Mr.. Bene-
diet. II was waiter in San Francisco restau-
rant, when | was taken sick, aud the doctor
who attended me told me that | would have
to get away from the San Francisco fogs I'M
less ! wanted to die Of consumption. The first
day that ] was able TO he out | walked down
to the water front aud was watching the ships
discharge, when a stranger approached and
asked me TO take walk. After having a
little conversation with me he learned that
wished 10 leave the city, and he told me that
be was friendly with number of people in
Honolulu and that he was confident that
could get work as soon as ] reached the
"
certain firm, aud was confident that could
get free passage 10 the islands If would 20.
| met him the next day aud he informed me
that he had secured thirteen others who
would go, and he introduced me to several
OF them They all thought it good chance
TO get out of California for a while, and con-
sented To 20. We sailed on schooner under
a man named Myers, and were treated like
regular passengers for few days or until we
all got over our scasickncss, when Capt.
Myers came around one day with big blank
book in his hands. He asked us our true
names, place Of birth, age, and what occupa
ton we had followed
ave thought IL very strange proceedings,
but said nothing, although we were greatly
troubled When we reached the islands, we
did not 20 into port, but stopped outside.
stcsm.launch was soon alongside and a man,
who represented himself TO be DOCTOR came
aboard. lie and the captain were closeted
Tor quite a while, when the doctor came aft
and gave each one of us medical examina-
ton. The captain and doctor then left the
ship, and few hours after we weighed anchor
aud for two days VIC were sailing in and out
among islands. Finally we were landed at =
large plantation aud given to understand that
we were to work in the field We learned the
next day that tue plantation was owned by
two men, who were considered the hardest
taskmasters CD the islands. We were told
that we had been employed through the cap
tain and that We were to get $50 n month
each We hesitated about going to work at
first but the foreman talked very nice 10 us,
aud after we had worked month we went to
the foreman's Office 10 draw our pay. Here
we were Mortified to learn that we had been
sold to the sugarplanters as slaves for So
much head aud that IL would take us just
three years to buy our freedom, II we worked
every day. We were credited with - cents
day when we worked and when we were too
sick to work they charged us % cents day
for board. They paid so much Tor u.s. and
we had to work our freedom out at the rate oil
% cents a day, and under the laws of the
island we agreed TO this contract the first day
we worked-as going TO work with our own
free will sgniied that we were willing to
work for the planters for our passage to the
Isl n Is. Well. we made hard kick against
su, h treatment, but there was no help for II,
a. TIN plantation was guarded by company
of native soldiers, who were only too willing To
shoot a white slave who attempted to escape.
'When we refused 10 work, we were placed
In the stocks aud whipped until the blood
sireamed off our backs When man wanted
to lay of, because Of sickness, a plantation
doctor is called H., and If the doctor saws he
is not sick the poor fellow is either whipped or
killed ! have known them TO take man out
and shoot him because he could not work. A
,inan was taken violently sick one day, but the
doctor said he was all right aud the oyerscer
made him 20 10 the field. He struggled along
until about noon, when he dropped down
dead We were worked ten hours a day, and
no set of men were ever worked harded In the
world The work on a sugar plantation Is
never ended aud there are but few men who
can hold It up many years. Out OF that four
teen who went with me there are but few who
lived through their slavery days After ! had
been there three years thought my time WAS
up but had surprise in store for me IN the
shape Of bill the company bad against me
for eating sugar cane and PLAYING sick, The
overseer had charged me with every mouth
ful OF sugarcane / ever ale, aud ID look me
Just two wears more 10 work II Out at the rate
of two bits day. ] never ate any more
sugar-canc and as good luck would have 1t,
was not sick. II took me just live wears aud
a few weeks 10 work out, aud II ! had TO tell
YOU what | suffered during that time YOU
would wonder that am alive to day. People
might live Ia Honolulu a lifetime and never
know ANYTHING about the slave system that 10
being carried ON In the Sandwich Islands,"